Family
by jellyjay
Summary: He and his brother have been unwittingly adopted by the world's only airbenders.


**Family**

The arena is in pieces.

Well, not really. Personally, Mako thinks that it could be in much worse shape. The arena itself has been completely blown up, but the rest of the building's pretty okay. The stands are littered with odd bits and pieces of debris and the gym's a little unstable, but all up it's not too bad.

Butaka, evidently, thinks otherwise. "Sorry boys," he says. "I can't let you stay."

Mako frowns at him. "Why not? The attic's completely fine!"

"The building's just too unstable," he explains. "For all we know, Equalists have rigged the place with more bombs. It's not safe." He sighs and pats both their shoulders. "I'm sorry, boys. But until investigations and rebuilding has finished, I can't let you stay here. You're gonna have to find somewhere else for the moment." Tipping his hat to them, he takes his leave to oversee the rest of the facility, leaving both brothers and a concerned Avatar frowning after him.

"Now what?" Bolin asks, making a face. On his shoulder, Pabu makes a curious noise of assent. "Where are we supposed to go?"

Mako sighs. Toza has an apartment in the city, but it's not exactly big enough for all three of them, and he really doesn't want to impose on him more than they already have. He shakes his head. It's fine, he's about to say. He'll figure something out. He always does. Surely there's gotta be some place in Republic City willing to offer them a temporary home for an affordable price. He'll take care of it, don't worry – it's what he's good at –

"Why don't you stay on the Island?"

Mako pauses and turns to look at Korra, who shrugs and tucks her hands into the pockets of her pro-bending uniform.

"There's plenty of room," she says. "Tenzin won't mind, and I'm sure the kids would love to have you around."

"Korra –" Mako shakes his head. "We can't. We can take care of ourselves."

She gives him a look. "I know that, but it doesn't stop me from offering. Seriously, it's no big deal."

"You're really sure Master Tenzin won't mind?" Bolin asks her, looking almost hopeful.

Korra shakes her head. "Not at all. He'll understand. He was here when this place got blown up."

"Korra –" Mako says again, but she shakes her head at him.

"I'm not taking no for an answer," she tells him firmly. Jerking her head, she practically orders them: "See if you can't salvage some stuff from upstairs. I'll explain the situation to Tenzin." She's already turned on her heel to find the old master before Mako can object.

He sighs. Well, he supposes, it's better than nothing.

x

Mako won't admit it, but for years since Toza took them in, he'd watched Air Temple Island from the window in their little apartment. Air is the element of freedom, they say, and while he and his brother don't exactly have restrictions per se, he's always wondered what it would be like to be able to do whatever he wants without having to think about taking care of his brother. Not that Bolin ties him down or anything of that sort – Mako loves his brother and he'll stick with him no matter what – sometimes though, he can't help but wonder what it would be like to be so carefree.

"These are your rooms," Pema tells them, jolting him out of his thoughts as she leads them down a hallway. She's gentle and very, _very_ patient, to the point where Mako finds it almost strange that she's the mother of the three hyperactive airbenders in the courtyard. "You two can decide who wants which room, and I don't want you boys hesitating if you need anything," she says. "This place is your home for the next few months or so – if you need anything at all, feel free to ask or help yourself."

Bolin chuckles and bows gratefully, and almost too late, Mako does the same.

"Thank you, ma'am," his brother says. "We can't tell you how much we appreciate this."

She waves them off. "Just Pema," she says with a smile. "And there's no need to say thanks – it's a pleasure to finally get to meet the boys Korra spends so much time with."

"All the same," Mako says, a little stupidly. "Thank you."

She rolls her eyes. "See you in the morning, boys. Breakfast is at seven." Pema smiles at them and takes her leave, leaving the two boys standing awkwardly in the hall.

"So..." says Bolin. "Which room do you want?"

Mako shrugs. "You pick first," he says, realizing a little late that the reason this conversation seems strange is that they've never had their own rooms before.

After a moment of deliberation, Bolin heads for the room facing the courtyard. "Pema reminds me of mom," he says at last. "Is it the same with you?"

"A little," Mako admits. "G'night, Bo."

Bolin nods. "Night."

Later, as Mako's turns on his side in bed to stare out at Yue Bay, he amends his statement. He thinks of Pema's warm, motherly smile; her patience and the greys in her hair; her gentle, sometimes chiding voice, and the way she fusses over the kids, Korra, and even him and his brother in the few hours they've been on the island. Mako doesn't remember much of his mother – he was so young when both of his parents died – but he remembers her smile, full of pride and warmth and love, and he realises that Pema doesn't remind him of his mother a little.

Pema reminds him of his mother a lot.

It comforts him more than he cares to admit.

x

He's woken early the next morning by the sound of hushed voices and something prodding him curiously in the side. He tries to ignore it at first, but strangely, it doesn't stop, and he groans and rolls over, trying to force his eyes open in an attempt to see what it is.

"Ikki, stop it, it's rude!"

"Mom said we had to wake him, and it's not like we're allowed to airbend him off the bed. How else do you s'pose we do it?"

Mako cracks an eye open at last, and he's greeted by the sight of two little girls: the older one shy, but curious; the younger with a smile almost too big for her little face.

"You're awake!" the younger says, voice suddenly much louder. "Mom said we had to get you for breakfast! There's fruit and nuts and bread and you can have whatever you like so long as we can get you up now. Bolin and Korra are already at the table, and then after breakfast, 'Nora and I can give you a tour of the Island and we can play with the lemurs and see introduce you to Oogi and play games! Doesn't that sound like fuuuuuun?"

Mako stares at her for a full five seconds, a little unsure of how to react. He's never heard a little girl speak so fast in his life. "Um – " he manages at last. "What?"

The older shoots her sister a look. "Breakfast's ready," she says. "Bolin said he got lost on the way, so we thought we'd come and make sure you didn't run into the same trouble."

"Oh." Mako scratches the back of his head awkwardly and gets up. He's not all that great with kids he doesn't know. "Thanks."

"I'm Jinora, by the way," the older says, leading the way out of his room. "This is Ikki. You're... Mako, right? The firebender boy that Korra likes?"

He trips a little and forces down a flush. "It's – uhm – that's –"

"Oooooh." Ikki grins mischievously at him. "So you like her back, huh? Huh? Awwww, that's sooooo romantic! Are you gonna ask her out on a date?"

"I –" Figures. It's too early for his brain to function properly and there are little girls already questioning him on his love life. He's getting far more worked up about this than should be. "It's not like that," he says dumbly. "Korra and I are just friends."

Now Jinora's smirking too. "Sure, you are."

Mako flushes properly, and he can literally feel his dignity disappearing every second the girls are smirking at him. He's more grateful than he can say when they turn into the dining room and Jinora and Ikki race off to find their little brother.

"What's the matter with you?" Korra asks, taking in his slightly reddened cheeks.

"Nothing," he mumbles. He snatches at a piece of fruit on the table and regains his composure after a minute, but he watches the girls playing through the window and wonders what it's like to be a kid like them.

x

Later that evening, Korra's training with Tenzin and Bolin is running around playing games with Ikki and Meelo. Jinora is reading on the steps of the compound. Pema is in the kitchens, helping the other acolytes clean up after dinner after rejecting his attempts to help three times.

Mako's not used to sitting around doing nothing. He fidgets a little with his gloves as he paces the courtyard, really very unsure of what to do, until finally, Jinora decides she's had enough of watching him out of the corner of her eye and motions for him to join her.

He does so, still feeling a little out of place. "What is it?"

"Don't you ever relax?" she asks him, curious.

"I can relax," he says, feeling slightly wounded.

Jinora giggles and sets down her book. "Korra says you're really uptight sometimes," she tells him, giggling a little more at the face he makes when she tells him. "I kind of get it though. Bolin told us it's just because you're such a good big brother."

Mako raises an eyebrow at her. "He said that, huh?"

She nods. "Is it really hard? Being the oldest, I mean."

Shrugging, the firebender takes a seat beside her and pockets his hands. "Not really, I guess. I've been doing it for so long. I could ask you the same – do you have to look after your siblings sometimes?"

Jinora nods again. "Only sometimes though." She pauses and smiles at him. "Bolin really looks up to you. I can tell. One day I wanna be as good a big sister as you are a big brother to him."

"I –" Mako blinks. "That's really sweet, Jinora. I'm sure you're a great big sister."

She shakes her head and fidgets a little. "Bo told me you've been looking after him since he was a little older than a baby. I can't imagine ever being able to do that."

Mako sighs. "Listen," he tells her quietly. "Bo and I have been through a lot. You and your siblings are really lucky – your mom and dad are here for you and they look after you, and you won't ever have to deal with what me and Bolin have had to. That's a good thing. You're a good big sister just by playing with Ikki and Meelo the way you do. You get to be a kid."

"But you got to be a kid too," Jinora protests, cocking her head at him.

"Not really." Mako chuckles. "I'm... really honoured that you think I'm a good big brother, Jinora, but you're great big sister in your own way. What matters most is that you're there for your brother and sister."

"So..." The little girl giggles. "I'm a good sister even if I just play with them?"

Mako nods. "That's right."

She ponders for a moment. "Well... Korra's like a big sister to us. And because you like her and she likes you, I guess that kind of makes you and Bolin future brother-in-laws."

"_What._"

"It makes sense that you should play with us too if you're gonna be a good big brother." She tugs on his hand and pulls him up. "Come on! We know lots of games you can play with us!"

Far too late, Mako realizes that this has been part of Jinora's plan all along, and he's already been tugged half way across the courtyard with the little airbender yelling "Mako's gonna play with us too!" before he's managed a coherent thought.

"That's cheating."

She grins. "It's fair."

"Korra made you do this, didn't she?"

Jinora laughs. "Mom too."

Mako makes a face, but with the way the kids are cheering for him, he can't bring himself to argue.

x

They finally stop playing well after dark, and he and Bolin and the three little airbenders are stifling their laughter as they make their way back inside when Tenzin pulls him aside. He supposes he should be intimidated but the fact that he's been running around the compound chasing after the kids has him too amused to care. He hasn't felt this carefree in a long time – perhaps not at all – he's always been so busy looking out for his brother and shielding him from the world.

It's refreshing.

It's wonderful.

It's _fun_.

"So then," Tenzin says. "How are you finding your living arrangements for now?"

"They're – they're really great, Master Tenzin," he says, honestly cheerful and properly happy for the first time in what feels like forever. He's happy in the gym, of course. He's happy when they win pro-bending matches. He's happy when he and his brother and Korra are goofing around, but _this_ – this is different.

Tenzin chuckles and claps his shoulder. "Things have been hard for you and your brother for far too long, Mako," he says gently. "You're here for the time being, but once you're able to move back into your apartment, and if that's what you want to do, I want you to know that our family is always open to you and Bolin."

Mako blinks. "I – Master Tenzin – "

But Tenzin holds up a hand. "My only request is that you keep Korra out of trouble in return. She's reckless, and I certainly won't be able to reel her back in if she loses control. But you can. You and Bolin are her best friends, and she loves you both. When the time comes, she'll need you both by her side."

"I – " At first, Mako doesn't quite know what to say. This is Tenzin – the only airbending master in the world and the son of Avatar Aang – asking _him_ to look out for his father's legacy. In that scope of things, it's a rather big ask, but Korra is his friend and Tenzin has offered them a home and a family if they ever need one.

In some ways, Tenzin reminds him of his father: a little intimidating, but kind and gentle and generous. _Look after Bolin, Mako, _his father had bid him,_ he's your little brother, and he needs you._

Only now, it's Tenzin, and it's not just Bolin anymore.

"I – " he manages at last. "Of course, Master Tenzin. How could we ever do anything else? She's our friend."

Tenzin nods and smiles. "Good man."

x

Mako realizes later, as he's staring out at Yue Bay again, that it really isn't just him and Bolin anymore. For so long, it had just been the two of them, striking it out together, looking out for each other and trusting no one else.

Now, there is Korra. There is Jinora, and Ikki and Meelo. There is Pema and Tenzin.

He and his brother have been unwittingly adopted by the world's only airbenders. In the space of the day and one selfless offer, he and Bolin have gained the family they don't even remember having. Not for the first time, he realizes how much different things are since Korra decided to (literally) gatecrash their lives.

In the end, he snorts. It's better than nothing, he guesses.

It's _definitely_ better than nothing.

x

_The plotbunnies only ever turn up at 2am on a Friday morning. It's okay, plotbunnies. It's not like I need to sleep. It's not like I have uni at 8am later today. /sarcasm_


End file.
